Jaik Mickleburgh and Tom Westley continued their excellent form smashing centuries as Essex took complete control of their three-day game against the visiting Sri Lankan outfit at Chelmsford.
The hosts’ resumed day two on 81 for 2. The overnight batsman Mickleburgh walked out with Westley on a bright and sunny Monday morning. From the very outset, both right-handers completely demolished the toothless Lankan bowling attack to all parts of the grounds with ease. They negotiated the pace-heavy Lankan attack comfortably to carry the score to 187 for 2 from 55 overs at lunch.
Soon after the lunch break, Mickleburgh rocked back and cut away to the deep-cover boundary for four runs off left-arm spinner Milinda Siriwardena to bring up his 3rd first-class century of the season in as many innings.
The leader of the attack, Dhammika Prasad struck in the 61 st over when a tailing delivery which kept low struck Mickleburgh right in front as his excellent knock of 109 in 188 balls came to end along with the fruitful 232-run third-wicket stand.
Westley was then joined by experienced Ravi Bopara and they too punished the visiting bowling attack quite easily which was minus the spin of Rangana Herath and the pace of Dushmantha Chameera. He too got to his hundred in style but few overs later was caught at square-leg by Dhananjaya De Silva off Nuwan Pradeep for a well-accumulated 108 off 158 deliveries.
Sadly for the visitors, they lost their spearhead, Dhammika Prasad who limped off the ground due to a shoulder injury during his 18th over.
Bopara and number 6 batsman Dan Lawrence reached their personal milestones of half- centuries in no time before they had to declare their innings on 412 for 4 in 100 overs as restricted by England Cricket Board before the game.
Sri Lanka started their second innings with 158 runs behind and their first-innings tormentor, the school-boy Aaron Beard once again got the better of Kaushal Silva for 7 when the right- hander was struck plumb in front.
Experienced Dimuth Karunarathne and first innings’ half-centurion, Kusal Mendis somewhat resurrected the Lankan innings adding 33 runs before the latter was caught at slip by Matt Dixon off Westley for 16 which brought the end of second day’s play.
Play will continue tomorrow (10 th May) for third and final day’s play.
Sri Lanka – 254 all out in 63 overs: Kusal Mendis 66, Dinesh Chandimal 27, Angelo Mathews 30, Niroshan Dickwella 53, Aaron Beard 4/62, Tom Moore 3/48, Jesse Ryder 2/48.
Essex – 412/4 in 100 overs: Nick Browne 28, Jaik Mickleburgh 109, Tom Westley 108, Ravi Bopara 87*, Dan Lawrence 57*, Dhammika Prasad 2/78.
Sri Lanka (2 nd inn) – 42/2 in 13 overs: Kusal Mendis 16, Dimuth Karunarathne 16*.
